‘I won’t go for third term through surrogate’ – Gov Emmanuel

 

“I will never go for a third term through surrogacy,” he said. “The choice of who will take over from Governor Udom Emmanuel is not mine but God’s.”

 

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has told the people of the state not to panic over who will succeed him as the next governor.

 

“I will never go for a third term through surrogacy,” he said. “The choice of who will take over from Governor Udom Emmanuel is not mine but God’s.”

 

Mr Emmanuel spoke on Tuesday at Uyo Local Government Secretariat, Uyo, during the inauguration of projects to mark the 100 days in office of the council chairman, Uwemedimo Udo.

 

The event was attended by many politicians, especially from the Uyo Local Government Area.

 

The governor appealed to the people to wait for God’s direction on who will be the next Akwa Ibom governor in 2023.

 

“Once God says this is the direction I believe everybody will cue behind and there’s nothing any other person can do.

 

“God will not reveal (his successor) to everybody, disregard those with false prophecy. God is not the author of confusion, that they selected 30 people to become the next governor all through prophecy. Whoever God reveals to the governor (him) is the person (his successor) and not the one which God revealed to any other person.” he said.

 

The governor, who said he was happy to see key political leaders from Uyo at the ceremony, praised the council chairman for projects which included a new office block.

 

He made his remark partly in Ibibio language.

 

“What you have done is well appreciated,” Governor Emmanuel told the chairman, Mr Udo.

 

“Nigeria is going through a trying time. When we started government in 2015, we never thought that exchange rate would come to five hundred naira (N500) to a dollar. The cement, roofing sheets, paints are denominated in dollars.

 

“You are faithful with the little you are receiving. It means God has something bigger for you. It’s amazing to see what the chairman has done with the meager resources.”

 

Meanwhile, Mr Udo thanked the people of Uyo for the privilege given him to serve as their chairman.

 

Mr Udo, a former lecturer in the University of Uyo, mentioned the achievements of his administration in the last 100 days.

 

These include construction of the administrative block, procurement and installation of 300 KVA transformer in the council, grading of roads, provision of potable water, and installation of solar power to illuminate the council, among others.

 

Mr Udo was among the 31 council chairmen in Akwa Ibom State who were sworn into office in December, 2020.

 

The new office block is named after Governor Emmanuel.